| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1093588 | Women's Health Issues | 2009 | 8 Pages |
PurposeThe health effects of antenatal maternity leave have been scarcely evaluated. In California, women are eligible for paid benefits up to 4 weeks before delivery. We explored whether leave at ≥36 weeks gestation increases gestation and birthweight, and reduces primary cesarean deliveries among full-time working women.MethodsDrawing from a 2002–2003 nested case-control study of preterm birth and low birthweight among working women in Southern California, we compared a cohort of women who took leave (n = 62) or worked until delivery (n = 385). Models weighted for probability of sampling were used to calculate hazards ratios for gestational age, odds ratios (OR) for primary cesarean delivery, and multilinear regression coefficients for birthweight.Main FindingsLeave-takers were similar to non–leave-takers on demographic and health characteristics, except that more clerical workers took leave (p = .02). Compared with non–leave-takers, leave-takers had almost 4 times lower odds of cesarean delivery after adjusting for covariates (OR, 0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08–0.94). Overall, there were no marked differences in length of gestation or mean birthweight. However, in a subgroup of women whose efforts outstripped their occupational rewards, gestation was prolonged (hazard ratio for delivery each day between 36 and 41 weeks, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.34–0.93).ConclusionMaternity leave in late pregnancy shows promise for reducing cesarean deliveries and prolonging gestation in occupationally strained women.
